Kinematograph year book (1948)

Sub-Standard Film Market. 489 to the overall developments recorded in 1947. We started the year with a handful of different makes of projectors. 1947 closed with no fewer than nine machines on the market and the promise of more to come. One of the projectors on the market at the opening of the year, the B.T.-H. 301, is notable for its simplicity in handling — it has a wideopening gate and a quick-threading lever. Left-handed operation has many advantages, contend some operators, and this is a feature of the Carpenterde-Luxe, another pre1947 machine. A great improvement on the earlier model is the accepted verdict of Cinetechnic's De Brie Professional. Although following similar lines to its predecessor, the new De Brie embodies many interesting features. Blimpless Type Early in the year, Simplex-Ampro introduced the British-made version of the popular American Ampro machines. It is a blimpless machine — a very silent mechanism has been designed — and is claimed to be ideal for industrial and educational shows. A couple of months later, another famous American projector was given the designation " British made," and launched on the market — the Victor, by Victor Animatograph. In this machine, protection against film damage has been given a major consideration. In September, the Industry was given the opportunity to accept an entirely new system of film projection — by the Harper system. It provides for a sound track the same size as 35-mm. printed on both sides of the film. Alternate frames are proprojected, the film is then reversed, and the second set shown. But the Harper machine will take both the special stock and orthodox prints. Two Maltese cross machines made their appearances on the market. First of these, the Burville from E. Richard Turnham and Son created a good impression on overseas buyers. The second, the Clubman made by R. P. S. Ladell, is at present the lowest-priced projector on the market, selling for approximately ^160. It is a quiet-running blimpless type. Latest new machine to be produced is the Bell and HowellGaumont embodying designs from the manufacturing houses of Bell and Howell in America and GaumontBritish of England. They are some of the machines on the market as we pass into 1948. Reports suggest that there are several more models in the offing. Like film projectors, there is a wide range of strip projectors to choose from. Twelve makes available by the end of the year were : — the Adiescope, Aldis, A.M. P., DufayChromex, E. D. P., Elite, GaumontBritish, Hanna, Micro Precision, Newton, Pullin and V.I.S. ' Another form of projector, the continuous film or film strip cabinets made , its appearance in 1947. The Moviegram Sono A^ision self-contained unit pioneered the field, and was followed closely by the Adiescope film strip cabinet, the British Industrial Auto Strip Unit, Southern Film Services' Cell-U-Sound film cabinet and Sound Services' Brook projector. New Accessories On the accessories side three new sound conversion heads appeared, by Boneham and Turner, Ladell and Southern Film Services. Devices for non-stop film shows on one projector came from M. W. Dunscombe, Bristol, Jacksons Cine Service, Eton, and P. J. Equipments, Guildford. Production needs were not overlooked. Ilford marketed two new negatives in 16-mm. — the fine grain panchromatic stock and the high speed H.P.3 — and a low-priced densitometer. Direct recording on 16-mm. was made a speciality by two firms — United Motion Pictures and Leevers Rich. Editing aids included the introduction of the popular Acmiola in a sub-standard version — Acmade, the makers, are preparing the prototype of a 16-mm. film-viewing and soundrecording machine — and a film numbering machine from Ernest Moy.